


Shared Spirits

by Zaniida



Series: Five Moments of Intimacy [9]
Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Alcohol, FMI, FMNI, Five Moments of Intimacy, Gen, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Secrets, elbows-friendly, not yet sure what to tag for, though not really earth-shattering ones
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-28
Updated: 2019-02-28
Packaged: 2019-11-07 11:14:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17959421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zaniida/pseuds/Zaniida
Summary: After a particularly trying case, the team holes up in a safe house for some group therapy via alcohol.  A few secrets come out.





	Shared Spirits

**Author's Note:**

  * For [EggsyYes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EggsyYes/gifts).



> Another of my highly belated Christmas gifts! Sorta. I had actually planned a different Marconi piece for this gift, but given that it's [Elias Month](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17256416), and Marconi month isn't even until September, it made sense to switch focus a bit. I decided to work on a more freeform Five Moments fic... and had intended to have it all ready to go by the end of February here, but so much for that idea. I do have a lot more of it written, though, and it's not all that long.
> 
> At any rate, Merry Christmas to **EggsyYes**! Thank you for your encouraging feedback on my work; I'm glad to be getting to know you, both as a reader and as a friend.

“Anthony’s taking care of things on his end,” Elias says grimly, joining the rest in the safe house. Harold nods and locks the door, looking a little green around the gills, but he doesn’t ask for particulars. Not after tonight.

Behind the full-service bar, John’s already getting out the hard liquor; Zoe slips in and snatches up a bottle of gold tequila, whistling with an appreciative air as she brings it over to the couch she’s sharing with Shaw.

Surveying the wide variety, Elias quirks an eyebrow. “Are all your safe houses this well equipped?”

“No,” Harold says shortly, and picks up a glass, but just turns it over in his hand, staring at the way it refracts the light.

Sliding onto a seat beside him, Elias regards his friend. “What’s the decision?” he asks after a moment.

“If a night’s forgetfulness is worth two days without pain meds,” Harold responds, tiredly. “Assuming I still want a functional liver.” Sighing, he pushes the glass across the counter. “Bourbon, please, John.”

Leaning on the bar, Carter points at the blue curaçao. “Long as we got rides, I’ll have an Electric Iced Tea.”

“Private chauffeur in the morning,” Harold says, a little distantly. “If anyone needs to leave earlier, I’ll pay for the taxi.”

“Let me just make sure Taylor’s good for the night,” Carter says, pulling out her phone as John pushes the bourbon back to Harold and sets out an extra tall glass. She turns and walks over to the window, pushes the curtain aside and glances through at the fading light. “Hey, baby—”

“Anything for you, Lionel?” John asks as he assembles a mix of bottles with one hand while thumbing through his phone with the other.

Looking every bit as worn out as the rest of them, Fusco shakes his head. “Got any ginger ale?”

John retrieves a bottle from under the counter and sets it on the table. “Nothing with it?”

“Nah.”

“Could leave sobriety for the morning.”

“Yeah, no,” he snaps. “I don’t need more mornings like that.” He braces the cap against the counter and pops it off with a quick blow—then, as if suddenly remembering his surroundings, casts a horrified look at Harold.

Setting his empty glass back on the counter, Harold motions for a refill. “Don’t worry, Detective, I won’t take it out of your pay. There’s nothing here we need to worry about; I wouldn’t have brought you all here if I intended to keep the place.”

“Kinda like a burner phone,” John adds, pouring more bourbon as Fusco sighs with relief. “When we leave here, we won’t be coming back. Go punch a hole through the wall if it makes you feel any better. Maybe throw a chair at something.”

Harold shoots him a glare. “If you must. Do keep the noise down.”

John shrugs. “Not like you need that damage deposit back.”

When Fusco heads back toward the living room, John motions to Elias. “Got a favorite? Harold stocks the good stuff.”

After a moment’s consideration, Elias sucks in a breath. “Negroni Sbagliato. And… cut me off after five, John. I don’t get drunk in company… except with Anthony, of course.”

Setting his glass down a third time, Harold regards Elias. “Five is more than enough to get drunk,” he observes.

“I’m not planning to drink them all at once,” Elias counters. “That’s just a hard cap for the evening, in case I forget myself.”

“Five it is,” John says, filling Harold’s glass again. “Finch, you want me to cut you off at some point?”

Harold huffs. “If I start calling you ‘Nathan,’ maybe. If I get too chatty, you might want to lock me in a room to sleep it off.” Shaking his head, he picks up the glass. “Other than that, I’ll leave it up to your judgment… just keep me hydrated, if you can.”

“Sure.”

A few minutes later, Elias is helping him toward a recliner in the living room, and Harold’s too unsteady to even protest all that much.

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, this is mostly me bringing up a few specific topics and going "what would each person here have to say/do about this topic?"
> 
> It's supposed to be five general categories of things that Elias has shared with Anthony, but not with other people. The first chapter here is _Vulnerability_ : Elias won't get drunk except in Anthony's care. I just had trouble weaving in enough wording to make that clear. Also, if I update this chapter later, I'll probably mention John's choice in alcohol, because that detail seems to be omitted here.
> 
> A line that didn't make the cut: _“Much as I trust you, John, I’m not gonna let myself be that vulnerable. Not tonight; maybe not ever.”_ I do try to be not that on the nose.


End file.
